Marine type muffler



March 12, 1963 T. N. KELLY MARINE TYPE MUFFLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledOct. 19, 1960 INVENTOR. fflaxvfla A6 Knz 7 March 12, 1963 T. N. KELLY3,080,939

MARINE TYPE MUFFLER Filed Oct. 19. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.flaw/v4.5 11/. lff L Y BY a) 9mm 1 W? atent Patented Mar, 12, 1%53 Iflice 3,080,939 MARINE TYPE MUI LER .Th'ornas N.I Kelly, Detroit, Mich'assignor 'to Aircraft Park, Mich, a corpora- The' invention relates tonoise suppressors and refiers more specifically to a marine typemuflierconstructed'to discharge cooling fluid and gases from an upper portionthereof whereby the operatingefliciency ofthe mufller is improved andparticular flexibility in the mounting thereof is provided.

-An-object of the invention is to provide an improved muffler for mixinghot exhaust gasesand cooling fluid which muliler is constructed toprovide particular flexibility in the mounting thereof.

Another object is to provide an improved rnufller for mixing hot exhaustgases and cooling fluid which mufiler is constructed to maintain minimumback pressures.

Another object is to provide an improved mufller for mixing exhaustgases with cooling fluid including a pluralityof acoustic filtersections for accomplishing noise suppression which muiiler isconstructed to utilize hydrau- 'lic ram principles to discharge thecooled gases and fluid from an opening adjacent the top thereof.

lviore specifically it is an object to provide improved muflierconstruction comprising a tubular housing having closures secured overboth ends-thereof and including an inlet tube extending-through theclosure at one end of the housing in a lower portion of the closure andan exhaust tube extending through-the closure at the other endof the'-housing in an upper portion oft-the closure with respect to themuifler as installed.

'Another object is to provide a muffler construction as s'etforth abovewherein the inner end of the inlet tube and the exhaust tube are tapered'axially'inwardly of the respective-tubes and radially inwardly of thehousing'to'provide uniform expansion and exhaust respectively of the inthe muffler.

Another object is to provide a muffler construction as set forth abovewhe'reinthe housing'is divided into a plur ality of resonant chambers ofdifferent size for noise suppression by transverse partitions havingducts extending thereth'rough coaxial with the inlet tube for connectingadjacent chambers.

Another objectis to provide amufiier construction as "set forth abovewherein the ducts have diameters apset-forth above wherein both theinlet and exhaust tubes extend through thearespectiveclosures in anupperportion thereof with respect to the mutfler as installed and'theducts are located in the transverse partitions diametrically oppositethe inlet andexhaust tubes.

:Another object is to provide a 'mu'filer construction as set forthabove for use with large marine engines such as 'diesel engines for usewith tug boats wherein the housing is elliptical in cross section,adrain is provided at both the top and bottom there'of;and the inlet andexhaust tubes are positioned at opposite sides of the mulflerintermediate the drains.

' Another object is to provide a mufller as set forth above which issimplein construction, economical vto-rnanufacture and 'eflicient inuse.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent .as thedescription proceeds, especially when .taken in conjunction withtheaccompanying. drawings,

stabilized stainless steel.

through which the inlet tube 32 extends.

illustrating a preferredembodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of a mufller constructed according tothe invention.

FIGURE Z-is a view of the left end of the muffler illustrated'in FIGURE1.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a modification of the.

rnuflier illustrated in FIGURES 1-3.

FIGURE 5 is an end view of a second modification of the mutilerillustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE dis a longitudinal-section view of the muffler -With particularreference to the drawings a specific embodiment of the present inventionwill now'be disclosed.

As shown best in FIGURE 1 the rnufller 10 of the invention comprises atubular housing 12, provided with closures i4 and 16 at opposite endsand which is divided into resonant chambers 18, 2G and 22 by partitions24 and 26 located between the closures i4 and 16 at longitudinallyspaced points of the housing 12. The partitions 24 and 26 have acousticcoupling ducts 28 and 30 respeclively extendiugtherethrough. An inlettube 32 extends through closure 14 into the lower portion of the housing12 of the muffler as installed. Exhaust tube 34 extends through closure16 into an upper portion of the installed mufiier.

The muflier it} constructed as shown is particularly adapted to receivea mixture of water and hot exhaust gases from an internal combustionengine through inlet tube 32. The mufllcr 10 is operable to further mixthe water and gases to cool the exhaust gases. Mufller it .is alsoConstructed to suppress the exhaust noise and distion since the exhausttube 34 is located in the upper portion of the muifle-r as installed andWater is exhausted therefrom by means of hydraulic ram principles ratherthan by gravity as previously greater flexibility of mounting of themufiier it is provided by the construction shown in FIGURE 1. v

Morespecifical-ly the housing 12 comprises an elongated cylinder whichmay be constructed of relatively light weight corrosion resistantmaterial such as titanium- Closures l4 and in which are similar inconstruction are secured over the opposite ends of the housing l2 bymeans of the annular flanges 36 and '38 respectively by convenient meanssuch as welding to provide a seal between the closures in and 16 and thehousing 12.

As indicated best in FIGURE 1 the closure 14 has an opening :38therethrough adjacent the periphery thereof The inlet tube 32 may besecured to the. flange 42 around the opening 4%} by convenient means forsealing the inlet tube 32 to the closure 14 such as welding. The inlettube 32 is positioned adjacent the periphery of the closure 14 so thathe exhaust gases and water may be introduced into a lower portion of themuffler it as installed.

The closure 16 is also provided with an opening 4- therethrough adjacentthe periphery thereof. Flange 46 .isv provided around the opening 44 asshown in FIGURE 1 to which the exhaust tube 34 may be sealed byconvcnient means such as welding. The exhaust tube 34 as shown in FIGUREl'extends through an upper portion of the closure 16 with respect to themother 16 as in stalled.

.- gravity drainage of the cooling Water therefrom. It has --ho weverbeen-found that with mufliers, constructed as shown in FIGURE 1 thatadequate drainage is provided in operation. It is believed that drainageis accomplished due to the pulsation of the gases from the internalcombustion engine (not shown) attached to the muffier. The pulsatinggases apparently act on the water in chamber 22 in the manner of thedriving force of the well known hydraulic ram to force the water fromthe exhaust tube 34. Improved silencing characteristics are found to bepresent in muffier it with the exhaust tube 34 located in the upperportion of closure 16 over muliiers having gravity water discharge withthe exhaust tube located in the bottom portion of the closure.

Furthermore since the exhaust tube 34 is not required to be located atthe bottom of the closure 16 in accord ance with the invention as waspreviously the case to provide adequate drainage for the muffler theexact positioning of the muffler during installation is not required.Thus the end 47 of the muffler need not be lower than the end 49 thereofwith the muffler shown in FIGURE 1 as indicated by the drain 51 in end49 of housing 12. Also the muffler It? may be rotated axially slightlyif required in installation. In other words the flexibility inpositioning of the muffler 1t) constructed as shown in FIGURE 1 isgreatly improved over other marine type mufflers.

The inner end 48 of the inlet tube 32 is tapered axially inwardly of thetube 32 radially inwardly of the housing 12 as shown. The tapered end ofthe inlet tube 32 provides uniform expansion of exhaust gas and waterdischarged into the chamber 18 therefrom to cause the gas 'and'water tocirculate within chamber 18 to most advantageously cool the gases andprevent generation of internal noises within the mufiier.

The exhaust tube 34 is similarly provided with an inner end 59 which istapered axially inwardly of the tube 34 radially inwardly of the housing12. The tapered end 50 of the exhaust tube 34 permits smooth flow of thecooled exhaust gas and water from chamber 22.

Partitions 24 and 26 are circular as shown best in FIG- URE 3 andinclude annular flanges 52 and 54 around the outer periphery thereofwhich are secured to the housing 12 as shown in FIGURE 1 by convenientmeans such as welding to provide resonant chambers 18, 2t) and 22 aspreviously indicated. It will be noted that the partitions 24 and 26 arespaced longitudinally of housing 12 so that the chambers 18, 20 and 22have different dimensions and therefore resonate at differentfrequencies to produce sound attenuation at the most objectionablefrequencies.

Partitions 24 and 26 are further provided with openings 56 and 58 in thelower portion thereof with respect to the installed muflier and in linewith the inlet tube 32 as shown in the figures. Flanges 6t) and 62 areprovided about openings '56 and 58 in partitions 24 and 26 respectivelyto which the acoustic coupling ducts 28 and 3d are secured by convenientmeans.

Ducts 28 and 3% have diameters approaching or greater than their lengthsas will be evident from inspection of FIGURE 1 whereby the ducts 28 and30 will not resonate as open pipes but will function as acousticcoupling ducts to couple the sound from chamber 18 into chamber 29 andfrom chamber 2% into chamber 22.

The ducts Z8 and 36 also serve to provide a path through the mufiier 10from the inlet tube 32 to the chamber 22 for the exhaust gases and waterdischarged into the mufiier 10 which is substantially unimpeded so thata low back pressure is created by muffler 10 and water in chamber 22 isdischarged from exhaust tube 34 in the manner in which water isdischarged from a hydraulic ram by means of the pulsating exhaust gases.

In operation it will be understood that the muffler 19 is connected withthe inlet tube 32 positioned in the bottom portion thereof and theexhaust tube 34 positioned in the top portion as shown. Exactpositioning of the exhaust tube is not required as with priorconstructions as indicated above. The mutlier 10 mayeither be invstalled level or inclined slightly toward either end 47 or 49 inaccordance with the positioning of the drain 51.

A combined mixture of hot exhaust gases and water is discharged intochamber 18 through inlet tube 32. The hot gases and water are caused toexpand uniformly on exit from the inlet tube 32 due to the tapered innerend thereof and are caused to intermingle in chamber 18 as indicated bythe flow arrows therein whereby the gas is caused to 000-1 and the soundat the frequency to which the chamber 18 is tuned is suppressed.

The cooled gases and water together with the unsuppressed noisefrequencies are passed into chamber 20 through acoustic coupling duct 28wherein the ga and water are again mixed as indicated by the flow arrowsand the noise frequencies to which the chamber 20 is tuned aresuppressed.

Similarly the cooled gas, water and unsuppressed noise frequencies fromchamber 20 are passed into chamber 22 through acoustic coupling ductwhere the gases and water are again caused to mix and the remainingundesirable noise frequencies are suppressed. The cooled exhaust gas andwater then flow smoothly out of the exhaust tube 34 due to the pulsatingexhaust gases as previously indicated.

The mufiier structure 10 of the invention is particularly efficient insilencing the exhaust of internal combustion engines while producing arelatively low back pressure due to the alignment of coupling ducts 28and 30 and the inlet tube 32 in the lower portion of the muffler f0 andthe positioning of the exhaust tube 34 in the upper portion of themufiier 10 as shown in FIGURE 1 in conjunction with the tapered ends ofthe tubes 32 and 34-.

- of the muffler 10a may be provided at the expense of little additionalback pressure and slightly diminished drainage capabilities with theexhaust tube 34a located in the upper portion of the closure 16a.

A further modification 10b of the mufiier 10 is illustrated in FIGURE? 5and 6. The muffier 10b is elliptical in cross section with the inlettube 32b and ducts 28b and 3012 located at one side of the installedmuffler 10b and the exhaust tube 34b located at the opposite sidethereof as shown. The muffler 10b is particularly suited for installation in conjunction with large marine engines such as diesel engineson tug boats. The drains 64b and 66b are provided to permit installationof muffier 10b with either wide side 6812 or 7% at the top. The muffier10b is also suitable for installation rotated about its longitudinalaxis in either direction.

What I claim as my invention is: V

l. A marine type mufiler comprising an elongated tubular housing,separate inner and outer end headers respectively closing the oppositeends of said housing, a pair of transversely extending partitionssecured within said' housing in longitudinally spaced relation to saidend headers and to each other dividing said housing into first andsecond resonant chambers respectively adjacent said inner and outer endheaders and a third resonant chamber between said first and secondchambers, an inlet tube extending through said inner end header intosaid first chamber, an acoustical coupling duct extending through andsecured to one of said partitions, a second acoustical duct extendingthrough and secured to the other of said partitions, said ducts placingsaid chambers in communication with one another, said inlet tube andsaid ducts being in spaced. axial alignment with one another anddisposed adjacent to the side wall of said tubular housing inlaterallyoffset parallel relation to the longitudinal center line ofsaid housing, the end of said inlet tube within said first chamber lyingin a plane inclined relative to the longitudinal center line of saidhousingin adirection toward said. inner end. 7

header to provide for a uniform flow and expansion of exhaust gases andwater into said first chamber, and an outlet tube extending through saidouter end header into said second chamber, said outlet tube being inlaterally offset parallel relation to the longitudinal center line ofsaid tubular housing at the diametrically opposite side of said centerline from said aligned inlet tube and duets, the end of said outlet tubewithin said second chamber lying in a plane inclined relative to thelongitudinal center line of said housing in a direction toward saidouter end header to provide for a smooth flow of exhaust gases and waterfrom said second chamber, the alignment of said inlet tube and ductsserving to reduce back pressure in the mufiier, the ends or" said ductsand the inclined ends of said tubes being open and unobstructed tofurther reduce back pressure.

2. The muffler defined in claim 1, wherein said third chamber is largerin volume than said second chamber and smaller in volume than said firstchamber.

3. The mufiier defined in claim 2, wherein each coupling duct is of adiameter closely approaching or exceeding the length thereof to preventthe same from resonating.

4. The muflier defined in claim 2, wherein said aligned inlet tube andducts are vertically beneath the longitudinal center line of saidhousing and said outlet tube is vertically above said longitudinalcenter line.

5. The muffler defined in claim 2, wherein said tubular housing iselliptical and arranged so that its major diameter is horizontal, theaxes of the aligned inlet tube and ducts intersect the major diameter ofsaid housing at one side of the longitudinal center line thereof, andthe axis of said outlet tube intersects the major diameter of saidtubular housing at the opposite side of the longitudinal center linethereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,810,252 Noonan June 16, 1931 2,194,550 Hector et a1 Mar. 26, 19402,516,948 Bourne Aug. 1, 1950 2,598,756 Brightly et a1. June 3, 1952

1. A MARINE TYPE MUFFLER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED TUBULAR HOUSING,SEPARATE INNER AND OUTER END HEADERS RESPECTIVELY CLOSING THE OPPOSITEENDS OF SAID HOUSING, A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING PARTITIONSSECURED WITHIN SAID HOUSING IN LONGITUDINALLY SPACED RELATION TO SAIDEND HEADERS AND TO EACH OTHER DIVIDING SAID HOUSING INTO FIRST ANDSECOND RESONANT CHAMBERS RESPECTIVELY ADJACENT SAID INNER AND OUTER ENDHEADERS AND A THIRD RESONANT CHAMBER BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECONDCHAMBERS, AN INLET TUBE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID INNER END HEADER INTOSAID FIRST CHAMBER, AN ACOUSTICAL COUPLING DUCT EXTENDING THROUGH ANDSECURED TO ONE OF SAID PARTITIONS, A SECOND ACOUSTICAL DUCT EXTENDINGTHROUGH AND SECURED TO THE OTHER OF SAID PARTIONS, SAID DUCTS PLACINGSAID CHAMBERS IN COMMUNICATION WITH ONE ANOTHER, SAID INLET TUBE ANDSAID DUCTS BEING IN SPACED AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND DISPOSEDADJACENT TO THE SIDE WALL OF SAID TUBULAR HOUSING IN LATERALLY OFFSETPARALLEL RELATION TO THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE OF SAID HOUSING, THEEND OF SAID INLET TUBE WITHIN SAID FIRST CHAMBER LYING IN A PLANEINCLINED RELATIVE TO THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE OF SAID HOUSING IN ADIRECTION TOWARD SAID INNER END HEADER TO PROVIDE FOR A UNIFORM FLOW ANDEXPANSION OF EXHAUST GASES AND WATER INTO SAID FIRST CHAMBER, AND ANOUTLET TUBE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OUTER END HEADER INTO SAID SECONDCHAMBER, SAID OUTLET TUBE BEING IN LATERALLY OFFSET PARALLEL RELATION TOTHE LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE OF SAID TUBULAR HOUSING AT THEDIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID CENTER LINE FROM SAID ALIGNED INLETTUBE AND DUCTS, THE END OF SAID OUTLET TUBE WITHIN SAID SECOND CHAMBERLYING IN A PLANE INCLINED RELATIVE TO THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE OFSAID HOUSING IN A DIRECTION TOWARD SAID OUTER END HEADER TO PROVIDE FORA SMOOTH FLOW OF EXHAUST GASES AND WATER FROM SAID SECOND CHAMBER, THEALIGNMENT OF SAID INLET TUBE AND DUCTS SERVING TO REDUCE BACK PRESSUREIN THE MUFFLER, THE ENDS OF SAID DUCTS AND THE INCLINED ENDS OF SAIDTUBES BEING OPEN AND UNOBSTRUCTED TO FURTHER REDUCE BACK PRESSURE.